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Reports: Capitals lose Schmidt, not Grubauer, to expansion draft

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<> during the third period at TD Garden on September 22, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Maddie Meyer

Yes, the Washington Capitals boast a workhorse star in Braden Holtby, but as they hope to remain elite through a challenging summer, having a strong backup like Philipp Grubauer could be crucial.

The good news is that former Capitals GM George McPhee reportedly is not picking Grubauer, instead opting to select intriguing defenseman Nate Schmidt. Multiple outlets report that Schmidt is bound for the Vegas Golden Knights, from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun to the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan.

Khurshudyan reports that the Capitals tried to hash out a deal to keep Schmidt, but no dice.

There have been times when Schmidt struggled to break into the Capitals lineup, yet with Kevin Shattenkirk among those likely on the way out, the silky-smooth defenseman would have been that much nicer to have.

Add Schmidt to a heaping list of Vegas defensemen, from veterans to promising youngsters like the apparently former Capitals blueliner.